BILL NUMBER: AJR 55	CHAPTERED  06/09/00

	RESOLUTION CHAPTER   76
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE   JUNE 9, 2000
	ADOPTED IN SENATE   JUNE 8, 2000
	ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY   MAY 15, 2000

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Runner

                        MARCH 28, 2000

   Assembly Joint Resolution No. 55--Relative to hemophilia relief.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AJR 55, Runner.  Hemophilia relief.
   This measure would memorialize the President and Congress of the
United States to fully fund the Ricky Ray Hemophilia Relief Fund, and
would urge the President and Congress of the United States to
withhold the appropriation of funds to programs that have not clearly
disclosed to the consumer the risks of infection for a product the
program manufactures or distributes.




   WHEREAS, The Ricky Ray Hemophilia Relief Fund Act of 1998 (P.L.
105-369) was enacted by Congress to provide for compassionate
payments to individuals with blood-clotting disorders, such as
hemophilia, who contracted the human immunodeficiency virus due to
contaminated blood products; and
   WHEREAS, In its review of the events surrounding the HIV infection
of thousands of people with blood-clotting disorders, such as
hemophilia, a 1995 study, entitled "HIV and the Blood Supply," of the
Institute of Medicine found a failure of leadership and an
inadequate institutional decisionmaking process in the system
responsible for ensuring blood safety, concluding that a failure of
leadership led to less than effective donor screening, weak
regulatory actions, and insufficient communication to patients about
the risk of AIDS; and
   WHEREAS, It is important for both the federal and state government
to halt immediately the funding of a product or program if they
become aware of a risk of infection when using the product and have
not informed the public; and
   WHEREAS, This legislation, named after a teenage hemophiliac who
died from AIDS, was enacted to provide financial relief to the
families of hemophiliacs who were devastated by the federal
government's policy failure in its handling of the AIDS epidemic; and

   WHEREAS, Although the relief bill has been enacted into law,
Congress has been reluctant to fund it; now, therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of California,
jointly, That the Legislature of the State of California respectfully
memorializes the President and the Congress of the United States to
fully fund the Ricky Ray Hemophilia Relief Fund, enacted into law
under the Ricky Ray Hemophilia Relief Fund Act of 1998, so that there
is no delay between the authorization and the timely appropriation
of this relief; and be it further
   Resolved, That the President and the Congress of the United States
are respectfully urged to withhold the appropriation of funds to
programs that have not clearly disclosed to the consumer the risks of
infection for a product the program manufactures or distributes; and
be it further
   Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United
States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and to each
Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the
United States.
